Sarah vs The Three Christmas Lessons
by HayBales2011
Summary: It's Sarah's first Bartowski family Christmas, and Chuck is going to teach her how to celebrate the holiday properly. Never too early for a holiday fic, right? It's my first story,and un-beta'd, so please be nice, read, review and enjoy!
1. Intro

**_A/N: Hi everyone! I'm Haybales and I've been lurking around a little while and I finally decided to publish my first story! I know it may be too early to put out a Christmas fic, but I'm afraid if I don't do it know, I'll get too busy to do it later. This is the intro to the story, and I'll post the first 'lesson' either later tonight or tomorrow. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy!_**

Sarah Walker walked through the door of the apartment she shared with her boyfriend one day in the first week of December, and found him putting small glass balls on an evergreen tree in their living room.

"Chuck, what are you doing?" She asked him.

"What does it look like? I'm putting up our Christmas tree."

"But I told you, I don't do Christmas."

"Ahh, but this will be your first Bartowski family Christmas. Think about it. Ellie's cooking, pajamas, Twilight Zone marathons…C'mon, Sarah, do it for me. Chuck said, holding out one of the ornaments. He was making big brown puppy-dog eyes Sarah loved. How could a girl resist?

"Fine, Chuck, you win. I guess nothing can be worse than my dad's version of Christmas." Sarah said, taking the ornament from Chuck's hand and hanging it on one of the tree's branches. Morgan walked in with a box full of greenery.

"Hey guys, Ellie said she didn't need all this garland, so I guess we can use it." He said, setting down the large box. "Whoa, dude! You got Sarah decorating for Christmas?"

"I'm not entirely Scrooge-like, Morgan, I like Christmas, but it's just a little…complicated." Sarah responded, "I really didn't celebrate it as a kid."

"Wait, so you mean that this is…your first real Christmas?" Morgan asked.

"I guess so." Sarah said. Morgan and Chuck looked at each other, silently deciding that they were going to make Sarah's first real Christmas the best one even they had seen in years.


	2. Lesson 1

**_A/N: Hey, it's me again! I'm new here, so maybe I should introduce myself. I'm Haybales, and i'm 17 and a senior in high school. I'm in a musical right now, so basically what you're reading is what I jot down in my notebook during classes when i'm bored, since I don't have much time otherwise. I love Chuck and I love to write, so I decided to mix them together. I hope you like it!_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck. Or GameStop. Or Call of Duty._**

About a week later, Sarah was sitting on the couch in the apartment, watching TV, for lack of anything better to do. Today would be Sarah's first lesson in Christmas. Chuck walked in with a huge smile on his face.

"You ready for the mission, Walker?" He asked.

"What mission? Beckman hasn't given us a mission in days. It seems like the bad guys are taking a Christmas break." She responded.

"Just put your coat on and meet me outside." Chuck said grinning. Sarah obliged. She went out to the courtyard and saw Chuck, Morgan and Ellie all standing by the fountain.

"Um…ok…so now will you tell me what the mission is?" Sarah asked. The others just smiled at her.

"Nope. You just have to trust me." Chuck said. Sarah relented and joined her boyfriend, his friend, and his sister and got in the car.

"This is your mission, Chuck?" Sarah said one the car had stopped, "To me it just looks like a shopping mall…"

"Ahh, that's the point." Chuck said, "Agent Walker, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go shopping for Christmas gifts with us."

"Wait a second, you mean…buy presents? I've never really bought a present for anyone…" Sarah said.

"Don't worry, Sarah, we'll help you," Ellie said, "We'll use a buddy system. You and Chuck will be paired up for the first part of the trip. Then, we'll meet at the café downstairs, have a cup of coffee and then switch partners for the second half. You'll be with me and Chuck will be with Morgan. The idea is that you're never alone, but can still buy gifts for everyone." She explained.

"It sounds pretty straight-forward…" Sarah said.

"Alright then, let's go!" Morgan exclaimed, a little too eager to be paired with Ellie for the first part of the trip. Chuck and Sarah set out, hand in hand, to find presents for their family.

"So, who do you want to start with?" Chuck asked.

"Well, Morgan and Ellie, obviously…Morgan first; he'll be easiest." Sarah said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I already know exactly what to get him."

"What?"

"You'll see." Sarah said. She pulled Chuck in the direction of the nearest GameStop. She entered the store and stopped in front of a large display for Call of Duty: Black Ops.

"Wow. Sarah, wow. He's been wanting to buy this for months, but on a Buy More salary, I guess he can't afford it. This is perfect!" Chuck exclaimed.

"You really think so?" Sarah responded.

"Totally." Chuck said. Sarah picked up a copy of the video game and bought it. They walked around the mall a bit and were able to pick up gifts for Morgan, Ellie, Devon, and the little miss Awesome-to-be. By the time they were done, it was time to meet back up with Morgan and Ellie.

After the cup of coffee and partner switch, Chuck left the café with Morgan.

"So, where do you want to go, Chuck?" Morgan asked.

"Well, I already have a present for everyone but Sarah, so let's go to the jewelry store." He answered, setting out in that direction. Morgan followed, wondering what Chuck could have in mind.

They arrived at the jewelry store, and Morgan saw a glass case filled with earrings and necklaces that he thought Sarah would love.

"Hey, Chuck," Morgan called, "Sarah would love this." He said, pointing to one of the necklaces in the case.

"I'm not gonna give her a necklace, Morgan." Chuck said. Morgan walked over to the case Chuck was looking at. Inside were diamond solitaire rings.

"Dude! You're gonna propose? What about your proposal plan?"

"Well, a little bearded birdie told her about it and ruined my element of surprise." Chuck said pointedly toward Morgan, "And besides, I can't think of a better way to propose than at Christmas." Chuck said. He picked out one of the rings, and bought it. He and Morgan walked around the mall a little bit, and soon it was time to meet up with the ladies and go home.

Later that night, Chuck and Sarah were getting ready for bed.

"So, were you able to buy a present for everyone at the mall?" Chuck asked.

"Yep. You?" Sarah responded.

"Yes." Chuck said. There was an awkward silence.

"So what did you get me?" Sarah asked.

"Like I would tell you. That'd ruin the magic. That's right. Magic. Coming your way." Chuck said, lying down on the bed.

"Then you leave me no choice." Sarah said, coming out of her closet and straddling Chuck on the bed, "I have ways of making you talk, Agent Bartowski." She said, kissing her boyfriend.

"Do your worst, Walker." Chuck replied, returning the kiss.


	3. Lesson 2

**_A/N: Sorry it took me a while to update, I just started rehearsals for a new musical, so I was busy last week! Thanks everyone for the awesome reviews, and, as always, read, review and enjoy!_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck...dang it._**

By the time of Sarah's next Christmas lesson, it was the week before Christmas, a few days before Christmas Eve. Sarah had helped Chuck decorate the rest of the apartment for the holiday, and had already wrapped her gifts and put them under the tree. The only thing missing was the stockings by the fireplace. Stockings or no, she was getting the hang of this Christmas thing, and she was beginning to like it. However, Chuck had enlisted help with his next lesson, and it was about to arrive any minute.

There was a knock at the door of the apartment, and Sarah went to answer it. Ellie was at the door with a bag of groceries.

Oh, hi, Ellie," Sarah said, "What is all this? Let me take that off your hands for you." She continued, taking the bag from Ellie.

"They're ingredients. We're going to do some Christmas baking today." Ellie replied.

"Ah, so this is another one of those lessons from Chuck, I guess." Sarah responded.

"Yeah, my brother put me up to this. I can usually handle all the baking by myself, but I kind of need some help. You know, this year." Ellie said, putting her hand on her ever-expanding belly to illustrate her point.

"I get it. I'll do whatever I can to help, but I should warn you, I'm terrible at cooking." Sarah said.

"That's why I'm here, right? Let's start with some cookies, shall we?" Ellie suggested. Sarah nodded, and got out the flour, sugar, and all the other ingredients that were in the grocery bag. Ellie preheated the oven while she walked Sarah through mixing the dough. Chuck walked out of his bedroom and into the kitchen where the women were working.

"Hey, do you girls mind if I head out? I kind of have an errand to run." He asked.

"Yeah, no problem, Chuck," Sarah said, focused on her baking and not really paying attention. She was already finished forming the cookies into balls and putting them on the cookie sheet, and was opening the door to put them in the oven.

"Alright, see you guys later," Chuck said heading out the door. As he closed the door, he heard his sister warn, "Sarah, be careful, that's hot!" and then his girlfriend give a pained, "Ow!" _This is not gonna end well…_ He thought. But he knew that Sarah would be fine. She had survived over a hundred dangerous missions; and he had no reason to think that the giant blonde she-male couldn't stand up to making a few sugary sweets.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Sarah was nursing her new wound. She ran it under cold water, put a band-aid on it, and kept on baking. Her cookies were already practically finished, and it was time for the cake. Ellie helped her measure the ingredients, and Sarah mixed them together in the bowl. Ellie was trying hard to keep from laughing at Sarah. It was like she was teaching a child the basics of baking. But she understood. She was a spy, and she really had no need to learn how to do this before. By the time the cake was mixed, the cookies were ready to come out of the oven.

Sarah took the cookies from the oven and put them onto the counter to cool, and then put the cake in the oven, all without Ellie's help _and_ without getting burned, as she did before. She figured she was making progress. Just as she closed the oven door, there was a knock at the door.

"Hey, Casey," Sarah said, greeting the man at the door, who marveled at the sight of Agent Walker in an apron, with flour on her hands.

"I can smell cookies from my apartment…" Casey said.

"Do you want one? I made them. Well, with Ellie's help." Sarah replied, indicating the pregnant woman sitting on the couch.

"_You_ made them? You're getting soft on me, Walker."

"Says the father of the year _and_ the man who came over for cookies," Sarah scoffed, "Besides, this is mostly Chuck's doing. It seems like he's been putting me through Christmas boot camp lately."

"Believe me. I've been to boot camp. There weren't any angels, babies, or fat men in red suits there." Casey said, "And when you say boot camp, seems to me you're not enjoying it."

"Casey, this is important to Chuck, and to me too. I'm not saying I don't like it. In fact, I think I kind of love it." Sarah said. At this point Chuck walked through the door of the apartment with a shopping bag.

"Devon's going to be home from his shift any time now. I think I should go home." Ellie said, leaving the apartment.

"Uhh…I'm gonna go, too." Casey said, following a cue from the eldest Bartowski. As soon as Chuck and Sarah were alone, Chuck noticed the pan of misshapen cookies on the counter. He smiled.

"I know…they're horrible," Sarah admitted, "At least they're not burnt. They actually taste pretty good." She said, taking a bite of one, and handed the rest of it to Chuck.

"They're perfect." Chuck said, kissing Sarah.

"So, what was this mysterious errand you went on?" Sarah asked.

"Let me show you." Chuck said. He took out the bag and sat on the couch, with Sarah following. He took something made out of red fabric, all folded up, out of the bag. "As you probably noticed, we haven't hung up stocking yet. That's because I was waiting to get this." He said. He unfolded the red fabric in his hands. It was a stocking. With Sarah's name embroidered on it, "I know it's not your real name, but it's what I know you as…I thought since you're part of the family now, you should have one." Sarah was speechless. "Um…do you like it?" Chuck asked.

"I love it," Sarah said, "It's just…I've never had one of these before. I guess I've never really been part of a proper family before. I love it. And I love you," She finished. She gave Chuck both a hug and a kiss.

"Now, about those cookies…" Chuck teased.


	4. Lesson 3

**_A/N: Sorry it took me a long time to get this to you...finals week was brutal. Just a warning, in this chapter, Chuck and Sarah go to church. I don't put anyone else down for their beliefs, so please don't put me down for mine. Read, review and enjoy! Oh, and just because this is the last lesson doesn't mean this is the end...I still have more for you :) _**

**_Disclaimer: I'm a broke teenager...I don't own Chuck._**

A couple days after Sarah's cooking lesson, it was Christmas Eve, and the Bartowskis were about to kick off their Christmas celebration. Ellie had been cooking all day (with Sarah by her side) and it was just about time for dinner. Sarah helped Ellie carry the food to the table, and the rest of the family sat down, including Morgan, Alex, even Casey came for dinner. Morgan sat by Alex, of course, but Casey sat by Morgan and would growl at him if Morgan said anything he deemed out-of-line, which, in Casey's view, was pretty much anything Morgan said. A couple minutes into dinner, Chuck stood up and raised his glass.

"I'd like to propose a toast," He began, "to all the new people celebrating Christmas with us this year." He said, smiling at Alex. Then he turned to Sarah, who was sitting next to him, and took her hand. "I can't wait to add another new little person next year." He finished. Everyone at the table raised their wine (or in Ellie's case, grape juice) glasses and clinked them together with a 'Merry Christmas!'

After dinner, everyone helped clean up.

"So what happens next?" Sarah asked Chuck as they were putting their dishes in the sink.

"Well, we go to church." Chuck responded.

"Church?" Sarah replied. She pulled Chuck aside, "Chuck, I don't think I want to go to church."

"Why not?"

"Chuck, I make my living…I make my living killing people. I can't imagine I'm on God's nice list."

"You kill people, true, but they're bad people. You kill people to save people. It's no different than a soldier at war. Do you think they're not on God's nice list just because of that?" Chuck told Sarah.

"Well, no, but…"

"Just come with us. You'll like us." Chuck said. Sarah relented and nodded to Chuck, and they joined the rest of the group. All of them got into the car and drove to the same church Ellie and Devon had planned to get married in. It was dark by this point, and the sanctuary of the church was filled with candles that gave the room a dim, flickering light. The lights in the windows lit up the stained glass, making the colors as vivid as in the daytime. Sarah shuffled into the pew first, Chuck behind her, then Ellie, Devon, and the rest falling in behind them. Right beside Sarah, a little girl, around 6 years old, with curly blonde hair much like Sarah's, filed in from the other side and sat down a couple feet away from Sarah. Beside her was her grandmother, a graying woman of about 65.

"Merry Christmas!" The little girl said to Sarah with a grin.

"Merry Christmas," Sarah replied with a kind smile. Then, a man in a suit came up to them and handed each of the people in the pew a white taper candle with a clear plastic cup.

"What are these for?" Sarah whispered to Chuck.

"You'll see soon enough," Chuck assured. The pastor started the service, talking about the Christmas story and the various lessons to be learned about God from it. Then, the song leader came up while the pastor lit his candle from a large white candle in the middle of a wreath. This candle signified the coming of Christ, Chuck explained to Sarah. The pastor lit the candle of the first person standing in the first pew, who lit the candle of the person standing next to him, on and on in a chain. While the candles were being lit, the song leader started a song.

_Silent Night, Holy night,_

_All is calm, all is bright, _

The flame reached the grandmother, who lit her granddaughter's candle. The little girl turned to Sarah and lit her candle, and they exchanged a smile.

'_Round yon virgin mother and child, _

_Holy infant so tender and mild,_

Sarah turned with her now-lit candle toward Chuck. She lit his candle and they exchanged smiles as well. He turned to Ellie and Ellie turned to Devon, all the way down the pew.

_Sleep in heavenly peace,_

_Sleep in heavenly peace._

Once all the candles were lit, the song leader changed from 'Silent Night' to 'Joy to the World', and the candles lit up the faces of the people holding them. Sarah looked around her and saw those faces. First, the man she loved and his family. No, _their_ family. Then, the little girl next to her who was holding her grandmother's hand. The little girl seemed to be already jittering with excitement at the coming morning, and the older woman looked at the girl with unconditional love in her eyes. Then she looked around the whole sanctuary at the rest of the congregation. She realized they all had their own stories to tell, and their own families, but as they sang, they all seemed part of something bigger.

"Told you that you could be heartwarmed." Chuck whispered. Sarah retorted with a playful shove.

As Chuck and Sarah walked, arm-in-arm back into their apartment after the church service was over, Chuck stopped at the point right as they went through the door.

"What is it?" Sarah asked. Chuck simply pointed up to the ceiling at a bunch of green, leafy branches hanging from it.

"Mistletoe." They both said at the same time.

"Well, I guess we can't just dance this time." Sarah said. Chuck and Sarah came together for a kiss.

"That's why I had Morgan hang it." Chuck admitted. Sarah gave him a playful slap, and they went off to bed.


	5. The Big Day

**_A/N: Again, it takes me forever to finish this :P Sorry about that. Merry late Christmas and Happy early New Year! I am definitely planning on writing another story for you guys at some point, but I need ideas...put an idea or two in your review or PM me and you just might see your idea in my next story :_**

The next day, Christmas Day, Chuck and Sarah were lying in their bed when Chuck's alarm clock went off.

"Hmpf…" Sarah grunted, "What time is it?" She said groggily.

"5 a.m." Chuck responded.

"Chuck, why in the world would you set your alarm clock for 5 a.m. on a holiday?"

"It's Christmas!"

"And what, just because it's Christmas, people lose all sense of reason?" Sarah asked sarcastically.

"C'mon, Sarah," Chuck said, getting out of bed and looking out what used to be called the 'Morgan door'," Lights are already on at Ellie's place. We better get ready."

"Alright, do you want the shower first?" Sarah asked.

"No, Sarah, you have to stay in your pajamas! I'm pretty sure it's illegal to wear anything but pajamas on Christmas morning. I meant get the house ready. You know, turn on the Christmas lights, put on music, and get breakfast going and stuff."

"Um…okay," Sarah said, putting her hair up in a messy bun. They walked together out of the room and immediately smelled cinnamon.

"Morgan?" Chuck asked, inching closer to the kitchen.

"Oh, hey, buddy," Morgan responded, "Merry Christmas, Sarah!"

"Merry Christmas," Sarah replied, "What do I smell?"

"Cinnamon rolls. Don't worry, I didn't make them; the Pillsbury doughboy did."

"Aces, Morgan." Chuck said. There was a knock at the door and in came the Woodcombs, both still wearing their pajamas, Sarah noticed. There were wishes of 'Merry Christmas' and hugs all around, then Chuck piped up.

"Should we start with the stockings?" Chuck asked. Sarah, being a grown-up woman, did not believe in Santa Claus, and neither did anyone else in the family, so it became common knowledge that a certain other bearded elf the family knew had filled the stocking while everyone else was asleep with gifts both he had and bought and that had been given to him from other members of the family. Chuck had filled Morgan's stocking. Every member of the family had at least one gift from every other member in their stocking.

After the stockings, there was a short break for breakfast, then the main event- the presents under the tree. They took turns opening them one by one, very civilized. However, Sarah couldn't help but notice that whenever she reached for a certain gift- the gift to her from Chuck- the rest of the family would go, "No, not that one yet! Pick this one!" and hold out another one of her presents. But as much as she enjoyed opening her own gifts, she loved watching people open the presents that she had given them. Her favorite reaction was Morgan's, who had a veritable nerd-gasm when he opened his Call of Duty game.

The amount of presents under the tree soon dwindled, and eventually was reduced to just two- Chuck and Sarah's gifts to one another.

Chuck took his gift first and opened it. He opened the box and took out a photo album. It had a picture of a house embossed on the cover, along with the quote 'Home is where the heart is'. He opened the book and inside were pictures of himself with Sarah, beginning with the first real picture they had taken at Ellie's Halloween party with Sarah in her Princess Leia costume, to Paris and the train trip that followed, to pictures they had taken not even a week ago.

"You know how I told you that you're my home?" Sarah began to explain, "I decided to give you proof."

"I love it," Chuck said, "and I love you." He said. He was sitting next to Sarah on the couch, and he leaned over to give her a kiss. "And now it's your turn." He said, handing Sarah her gift. Sarah shook it. Something knocked inside the box, and it became obvious that the object inside was much smaller than the shoebox-sized package it came in. She ripped the paper and opened the box. She pulled out a much smaller maroon velvet box.

"Oh my god…" Sarah breathed, "This isn't…"

"It is." Chuck said. He took the box from Sarah and knelt down in front of her. "I've gotta do this right." He added. He looked up at a teary-eyed Sarah. "We've been through a lot. I mean, look at those pictures in the album you gave me. Those pictures are the best times of my life. They're the best because I spent them with you, and I never want that to change." He said. He opened the box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring. "So, Sarah Walker, will you marry me?"

"Yes" Sarah replied with a nod of her head.

"Awesome." The Captain responded. Chuck slipped the ring on Sarah's finger, then pulled her in for a hug, which turned into a kiss. Morgan exited the room and came back a little while later with a set of DVDs.

"We are about to enter…the Twilight Zone." He said as he came back into the living room.

"Dork." Ellie teased. Morgan put in the DVD and pressed play. As the intro to the show played, Sarah held out her hand and looked at the ring. She knew she must look like a mess, in her PJs with her hair in a messy bun, but she caught Chuck looking at her, and the expression on his face told her that he thought she was just as beautiful as ever. And that was one of the many reasons why she said yes. She felt her fiancé's arm wrap around her. She leaned into him and as the TV show played, she thought to herself that she couldn't wait to do this all again next year, as a real Bartowski.

**_So there it is! I hope you liked my story, and don't forget to give me some ideas for the next one! See ya!_**


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